I’m with you TonyT on this one…

Dr Plemming, it is time for you to stand down. The public have lost faith in your management. You have failed to achieve one of the main (if not THE main) priorities of the year, that being to get the aircraft ready for this years season… You can put out as many press releases as you like saying that the Vulcan stands fully serviceable at Waddington, but without the magic bit of paper, she is no more serviceable than the Victor at Brintingthorpe… Technically capable of flying, but going no where legally!

Once again, Waddington proved the inconsistency within your organisation with different stories coming from different people. Some saying it’s Marshals fault, others blaming the CAA… All the while, no one having the balls to stand up and say “we messed up”. You have people on web sites representing your organisation telling us that everyone who came to Vulcan Village was understanding… Utter rubbish. Had you bothered to turn up at Waddington, then you would have known that that is most certainly not the case. One of your ground crew told me directly that if the Vulcan misses RIAT, then they believe that will be the end of her… So much public faith has been lost in 558. Please go, let some fresh blood into the organisation, and see if VTTS / TVOC / 558 can be the center of excellence that it set out to be… Inspiring the young… You’re not inspiring anyone at the moment sir.

PLEASE GO, and give this project one last chance of survival.

whilst the Ibis is about 3 miles out of town there is actually very little difference in distance from Waddington Camp to either the university or the Ibis

DP Thank you!

I’ve just checked and the Ibis hotel is well outside of Lincoln and wasn’t on any bus route (only the Pavilion and University was, as well as Holiday Inn if requested), so i’d be surprised if it was provided free of charge as the crews would have no way of getting there by airshow provided transport

So you didn’t see the fleet of mini buses that were driving around picking up individual crews / teams then?

The ibis in Lincoln is no further out than the university campus where you stayed… Like I said… I’m pretty sure waddington paid for their accomodation.

Thanks Mark, I wasn’t aware of that as all the crew I were on coaches with all went to either University or Pavilion accomodation

Non flyers! I guess you were on the 9:30 bus, not the 7:30? The early bus is for the aircrew who have their briefing at 8:30!

It was mentioned on the UK Airshow forum here

http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=492&p=127728&hilit=ibis#p127728

that the Vulcan crew were seen in the Ibis Hotel. Out of interest, why was the decision made to stay at the Ibis Hotel, which presumably, came out of money raised for the Vulcan, when free accomodation was provided by the Airshow Organisers?

Waddington will have accommodated the Vulcan crew in the Ibis. Flying crew are always housed in different accommodation to the static / ground crew as it’s important that they get a decent night’s sleep. It makes perfect sense really.

VX927, yes I agree that it’s sad but sometimes the aircraft can’t be spared from their primary duties. The crews attending are often in between ops so hats off to them.

Your point is of course valid, it’s just this damn war that gets in the way! 🙂

Hope the show went well.

Sue Fury Fan…. You make a valid point, but the reality of the situation is that come RIAT, in 2 weeks time, the RAF will make sure that they have one of almost every type of operational aircraft there… In fact, I’d go so far to say that not only will there be one of each time, but in many situations, there will be one from each squadron. All that, without any adverse effect on operational commitments. (thats what I meant when I said it’s a shame that the RAF dont give the show more support)

Some of the FJ boys are flying single figures per month and would love to opportunity to fly anywhere, let alone to an airshow, where the beer flows for free!

Jogger 321, are you suggesting that next week, our forces in the desert will be at adverse risk because aircraft are attending RIAT?… No, I didn’t think you were! We’re talking about one or two airframes, not the entire fleet!

Anyway, I think the static turned out better than many had expected, but the flying display was very thin in places. Great to see the Poles attending the show, and I hope Waddington can attract more of them over next year… Maybe have a theme that will entice them to attend? I also thought that the Breitling team were excellent… VERY professional. I was impressed.

I’d have liked to have seen more fast jets flying, as well as TVOC displayed in the stocks!